Steam electric sadiron



June 15, 1943. B. ALTMAN ETAL STEAM ELECTRIC SADIRON Filed June 24, 1940' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l ATTORNEYS 311113131943. 5. ALTMAN' mi; 2,322,133

STEAM ELECTRIC SADIRON Filed June 24, 1940 2] sheets-Sheet 2 H%l| I -4 hw *Y Y )IlsliL Patented June 15, 1943A UNITED STATES- PATENT GFFICE 'STEAM ELECTRIC sAmaoN Bernard Altman and Paul Stiller, New York, N. Y.

Application June 24, 1940, Serial No. 342,132

7 Claims.

Our present invention relates to a steam generating electric iron of the general character .shown in our co-pendlng application, Serial No.

251,209, filed January 16, 1939, now Patent No. 2,262,661, dated November 11, 1941, the present application illustrating an improvement thereover with respect to construction of the iron and of the thermostatic control of the heating element thereof.

One object of this invention is to provide a steam generating electric iron in which the sole plate can attain a higher temperature than the body of the iron, the body being held to adjacent 220 degrees Fahrenheit due to the presence of water therein and to provide a thermostat which is responsive to the sole plate temperature and can therefore control the heating element in accordance with sole plate temperature as distinguished from controlling it in accordance with the general temperature of the iron which due to the presence of water is lower than required for finishing operation during the ironing process.

Still another object is to provide an assembly wherein a wa'ter chamber is provided at the front of the iron and a steam chamber adjacent the rear thereof so that the steam chamber being at somewhat higher temperature than thel water containing portion of the iron produces an intermediate temperature between the front and rear portions of the sole plate, the rear extreme portion of the sole plate finally being the portion attaining the highest heat for proper nishing operation as will hereinafter appear.

Still a further object is to provide a water trap within the water chamber of the iron body adjacent the steam dome, which trap consists of a' transverse wall sloping downwardly and rear-- wardly so that any drops of water which might splash up on it may roll backwardly and drop down into the water reservoir, the trap plate being slightly above the water level so that a space is allowed under it which is large enough to accommodate all the water that might pile up in the front of the iron body instead of being carried during rearward motion of the iron up into the steam dome.

Still a further object is to provide filter means located on the trap plate in a novel manner, a connection of the body of the iron to the sole plate being made by a tool inserted through an opening in the trap plate.

Another object of our invention is to provide a sole plate for a steaming iron which has a rim arrangement to prevent warping and also to provide shallow depressions outside the heating element and inside the peripheral edge of the sole plate wherein any water leaking from the iron may flow and become vaporized, thus 'preventing such water entering the heating element and causing damage thereof.

With these and other objects in view our vinvention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of our device whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in our claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Although the invention is susceptible of a variety of embodiments, it is unnecessary to fully describe and illustrate more than one in order to give a full understanding of the invention both from its structural and functional standpoints. Accordingly, we have illustrated a preferred and desirable embodiment of the invention in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through a steam generating electric iron embodying our invention.

Figure 2 is .a horizontal sectional view on the line 2-2 `of Figure 1 showing internal constructional details.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the sole plate of our iron with a portion thereof being shown in section on the line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 4 4 of Figure 1.

0n the accompanying drawings we have used the reference character S to indicate generally a sole plate, and B to indicate generallya hollow body superposed thereon. The sole plate S may be cast of suitable metal such as aluminum or the like and includes a central depressed portion I0 defined by ribs I2, I3 and I4. Ribs I5, I6 and II extend around the sides and front of thesole plates and the various ribs I2 to Il form side depressions I8 and I9 and front depressions 20 and 2l.

A heating element consisting of an insulating support 22, -a coiled resistance wire 23 and a heat conductor plate of steel or the like 24 is mounted in the depression I0. 'I'he major portion of the heat conducting plate 24 is spaced slightly above the bottom Wall of the sole plate as shown in Figure 1 and has downwardly depressed portions 24a and 24h, which contact with the sole plate.

A thermostat T is mounted on the rear end of the conductor plate 24 or on the portion 24h thereof as by screws 25 threaded into the sole plate.

Wardly 0f the heating element.

The thermostat T has a frame having secured thereto as at 21 a thermostatic bar 28. The thermostat is adjustable by a threaded set screw 34 and a control knob 35. The knob 35 may be suitably graduated for temperature reading in the usual manner.

The sole plate S has a plurality of steam emission openings 36 communicating with a manifold passageway 31. The passageway 31 in turn communicates with a passageway 36 leading to a hollow threaded boss 39.

The body B may be made of cast aluminum or the like and includes a water chamber 40 and a steam chamber 4|. separated by a partition 42. The body portion B has a peripheral edge 43 which is slightly spaced from the ribs I5, I6 and I1. The body is secured to the sole plate by a cap screw 44 extending through a hollow boss 45 and eil'ecting a metalto-metal face steam-tight seal at 46. The upper and lower surfaces of the boss 45, the upper surface of the boss 39, and the lower surface of the head of the cap screw 44 are milled surfaces to effect such steam-tight connection.

The body B has depressed portions 41, 48 and 49, depending from the edges 43 into the depressions I8, I9 and 2| and has an upwardly depressed portion terminating in a bottom wall 56 to receive the heating element 22-23,' as shown in Figure 5.

In casting the body B a steam tube 5I is cast into the wall 50 so that its lower forward end communicates with the bore of the hollow boss 45 and its upper rear end .terminates adjacent the top of the steam chamber 4I. The cap screw 44 has a socket at 52 and perforations at 53 to afford communication between the lower forward end of the steam tube 5I and the passageway 38 so that steam can be delivered from the tube to the steam emission openings 36 of the sole plate.

Closure plugs 54 and 55 are provided for the water and steam chambers 46 and 4I. These plugs close the openings that are necessary to provide support for the core when casting the hollow body B.

At the iront upper portion of the body a caplike closure plug 56 is provided which forms a steam dome. A handle 51 of wood or suitable insulating material is mounted on our sad iron by means of a screw 58 threaded into-the plug 55. A housing 59 is provided for the thermostat T and is located. at the rear end of the body B. The

housing 59 may be secured in position as by screws 66 threaded into the body.

The handle 51 has a socket 6I ttng the upper end of the steam dome 56 and its base is in contact with the body B and the housing 59 so that.

when the screw 58 is tightened the forward end of the handle is tightly engaged with the steam dome 56 and positioned relative thereto by the socket 6I.

For conveying steam from the steam dome 56 to the .steam chamber 4I we provide a steam tube 62 having its forward upper end terminating within the steam dome 56 'and its rear end hard soldered or otherwise4 secured within a tapered thread bushing 63. A closure plug 64 is provided to gain access to the bushing 63. 'I'he bushing 63 (with the steam tube 62 therein and straightened out) may be secured into position and the front end of the steam tube thereafter bent upwardly to the position shown. The steam dome 56 is then screwed into position.

Within the water chamber 46 of the body B adjacent the front end thereof and below the steam dome 56 we provide a trap plate 65 extending from side to side of the body B. The trap plate 65 is The chambers 40 and 4I are inclined rearwardly and downwardly and has an enlarged opening 66 therein. The opening 66 permits introduction of a tool such as a socket wrench to manipulate the cap screw 44.

A cover plate 61 is provided for the opening 66 and may be retained in position by sheet metal ears 68 sprung under the lower edge of the opening.` The cover. plate 61 carries an impaling member or spike 69 on which filtering material such as glass wool 10 is impaled. The filtering material 16 prevents droplets of water from splashing up intothe steam dome 56 but permits ready flow of steam from within the water chamber 46 to the interior of the steam dome.

Practical operation To operate our steam generating electric iron the chamber 4I) is rst iilled with water through a filling box 1I (see Figure 4), after the plug 12 is removed therefrom. The proper level is approximately as shown in Figure l, which is about up to the lower edge of the boss 1 I. The thermostat knob 35 is set at the desired temperature and the current supply cord 13 is connected in the usual manner to an electric outlet.

Heat radiated from the heating element 22-23 will heat the body B and the sole plate S. Steam will form within the water chamber 46 and pass through the filtering material 10 into the steam dome from which it passes through `the tube 62 to the steam chamber 4 I As long as there is a steam pressure in excess of atmospheric pressure steam will flow from the steam chamber 4I through the tube 5| and passageways 53, 52, 38 and 31, to the steam emission openings 36 in the bottom of the sole plate. The emitted steam will dampen the material being ironed as the iron is passed forwardly over the material and the portions of the sole plate rearwardly of the steam openings 36 which are progressively higher in temperature will pass over the material for ironing it while the iinal portion of the sole plate under the portion 24b of the heat conducting plate 24 will effect an eiilcient finishing of the surface being ironed.

When the rear portion of the sole plate attains the maximum temperature desired as set by the thermostat T the thermostat will out of! the heating element until such time as further ironing operations cool this portion of the sole plate to a temperature less than the setting of the thermostat. Thus, the thermostat responds to the temperature attained by the rear portion of the sole plate instead of to the temperature of the body B which, due to the presence of water therein, holds the temperature to the neighborhood of 220 degrees Fahrenheit.

The steam within the chamber 4I will be of.

somewhat higher temperature than the water thus providing a zone of intermediate heat between the low heat of the front portion of the iron and the high heat of the rear portion of the iron. This arrangement eects an eiiicient and gradual raising of the temperature of the material being ironed during the passage of the iron thereover with final high temperature iinishing accomplished by the rear end of the sole plate.

The trap plate acts as a water trap. particularly because of it being pitched slightly toward the back of the iron. In operation, when the iron is movedV on the backward stroke the inertia of the water causes it to pile under the front of the trap plate and it is thereby bailied lby the plate from splashing up into the steam vthe heating chamber.

dome 56. On the forward stroke any water that may have splashed up above the plate will drain back down its upper surface and over its rear lower edge into the water chamber.

By casting the opening 66 in the trap plate 65 provision is made for ready access to the anchoring cap screw M. This opening is inexpensively closed by the metal disc 61 which by providing the spike 69 thereon serves as an eiective and economical means to support the ltering material against dislocation.

The casting of the sole plate and body in separate pieces reduces the initial cost of forming the iron as it eliminates a core for the heating element 22-23 and makes possible the use of permanent molds. heating of the sole plate to a higher temperature than the body in a manner that is independent of the body due to the poor thermal conductivity provided by the spaces between the body and sole plate surrounding the heating element and Within the outer ribs I5, I6 and I1.

The connection of the body to the sole plate i has been considerably simplified by the use of the single cap screw I4 at the front portion of the sole plate. In addition to this cap screw a pair of screws 14 may be provided for the rear end of the body, these screws being threaded into openings 15 in the sole plate S.

Surrounding the openings 14 are limited area abutment shoulders 16 which contact with the bottom of the body B and in conjunction with the surfaces at I6 serve as a three-point support for the body relative to the sole plate.

The depressions I8, I 9, 20 and 2l in the sole plate S encircle the heating element and catch any stray drops of water that may roll down the side of the iron in iilling and keep them out of Such drops of Water are effectively vaporized Within the depressions. The ribs I5, I6 and I1 and also the ribs I2, I3 and I4, also prevent warping of the sole plate.

The heat conducting plate 24 effectively conducts heat mainly to the rear portion of the sole plate S and to the thermostat T in a desired manner so that the hottest portion of the sole plate is the rear portion thereof which is the last, to-pass over the material being ironed.

Our mounting of the thermostat at the rear of the iron also makes for convenience in assembly of the thermostat and in making connections to the heating element. Excellent visibility for the knob 35 is also aiorded by this kind of an arrangement by which we also eliminate the necessity of taking up any of the water space to accommodate the thermostat.

Some changes'may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of our device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of our-invention, and it is our intention to coverby our claims any modified forms of strucy ture, or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

We claim as our invention:

1. In a steam electric iron, a sole plate, a hollow body superposed thereon, a water chamber and a steam chamber Within said body, a steam tube cast in the bottom wall of said body, a heating element between said bottom wall and said sole plate, said body having a. hollow' boss, a cap .screw through said boss and into said soleA plate to connect the two together, said cap screw being hollow and communicating with the interior of said hollow boss, one end of said steam tube also communicating with said interior and the other This arrangement also permitsI end thereof terminating adjacent the top of said body within said steam chamber, means to conduct steam formed in said water chamber to said steam chamber and steam emission openings, in said sole plate and communicating with the lower end of said cap screw.

2. In a steam iron,a sole plate having steam emission openings, having a depressed central portion and having depressed portions surrounding the sides and front of said depressed central portion, a heating element mounted in said central depressed portion, a. hollow body superposed on said sole plate and constituting water and steam chambers, said body having a marginal edge spaced from the peripheral edge of said sole plate, having a relatively low portion depending from said marginal edge into said last depressed portion of said sole plate and having an upwardly depressed portion forming a cover for said heating element, and means of communication between the steam chamber of said body and said steam emission openings.

3. In a steam iron of the character disclosed, a sole plate having steam emission openings, a hollow body mounted on said sole plate and having a steam dome adjacent the front thereof, means aiording communication between the steam dome and said'steam emission openings, said means including a steam tube extending from the interior of said body up into said steam dome with its upper end opening into the steam dome and its lower end in fluid communication with said steam emission openings, a trap plate below said steam dome, said trap plate being inclined downwardly and rearwardly, a spike projecting upwardly from said trap plate and ltering material impaled on said spike.

4. In a steam iron of the character disclosed, a sole plate `having steam emission openings, a hollow body mounted on said sole plate and having a steam dome adjacent the front thereof,

means aiording communication between thev steam -dome and said steam emission openings, said means including a steam tube extending from the interior of said body up into said steam dome with lits upper end opening into the steam dome and its lower end in fluid communication with said steam emission openings, a trap plate below vsaid steam dome, a spike projecting upwardly from said trap plate and filtering material impaled on said spike.

5. In a steam electric iron, a sole plate having steam emission openings and a threaded boss communicating therewith, a heating element on said sole plate rearwardly of said boss, a hollow body superposed on said sole plate and enclosing the front, top and sides of said heating element, said hollow body having a steam dome adjacent the front thereof',v a hollow cap screw through the bottom of said hollow body and into said boss to connect said body in steam-tight relation to said sole plate, means of communication'between the interior of said hollow body and said hollow cap screw to supply steam from said body to said steam emission openings, a steam pipe having an intake end terminating. in said steam dome and a discharge end terminating in said body, a trap plate under said steam dome and inclined downwardly and rearwardly, said trap plate having an opening substantially aligned with said hollow cap screw, and a cover plate for said open- 6. In a steam electric iron of the character disclosed, a sole plate having steam emission openings and a threaded boss communicating therewith, a heating element on said sole plate rearwardly of said boss. a hollow body superposed on said sole plate, said hollow body having a steam dome, a hollow cap screw through the bottom of said hollow body and into said boss to connect said body in steam-tight relation to said sole plate means of communication between the interior of said hollow body and said hollow cap screw to supply steam from said body to said steam emission openings, a steam pipe having an intake end terminating in said steam dome and a discharge end terminating in said body, a trap plate under said steam dome, said trap plate having an opening substantially aligned with said hollow cap screw, a cover plate for said opening, a spike extending upwardly therefrom and ltering material impaled on said spike.

7. In a steam electric iron, a sole plate having steam emission openings, a heating element on said sole plate, a hollow body superposed on said sole plate, said hollow body having an open bottom steam dome, means of communication between said steam dome and said steam emission openings, said means of communication including a steam pipe extending into said open bottom of said steam dome and having an intake end terminating in the steam dome, a water trap plate under said steam dome and ltering material supported on said trap plate, surrounding said steam pipe and closing the open bottom of said steam dome.

BERNARD ALTMAN.

PAUL STILLER. 

